Much more remains to be done

(VEN) - Nguyen Van Tuan, general director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said that to achieve the 30-percent growth target of international tourists by the end of this year, the tourism sector needs to strengthen promotion and marketing activities in potential growth markets.

The tourism sector has created a breakthrough thanks to more professional and better targeted promotion of Vietnamese tourism brands.

Ha Van Sieu, deputy general director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said Vietnam has adopted and developed strategies in terms of marketing, product diversification and brand promotion. In particular, the country has identified target markets such as Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Western Europe and Australia, and potential markets like India and the Middle East to enhance tourism promotion activities.

Thanks to good coordination with localities, businesses and associations, the annual budget for tourism promotion activities has significantly increased.

However tourism promotion activities remain limited. Promotion activities through events are lacking, while market research has not been carried out properly and market strategies have not been suited to reality on the ground.

Inefficient implementation of tourism promotion activities is also attributed to limited capacity of promotion agencies from central to local levels and lack of promotion offices abroad.

The goals of international and domestic visitor growth of at least 30 percent and 12 percent in 2017 set by the government are considered difficult. Therefore, tourism promotion is one of the key priorities in achieving the growth targets.

Nguyen Van Tuan said the tourism sector will continue to enhance promotion activities in potential markets that are likely to grow strongly, maintain stable growth of tourists in traditional markets, strengthen management of tourist destinations, diversify tourism products and improve service quality.

Localities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Quang Ninh and Khanh Hoa need to organize effective promotion activities in international markets, while businesses should promote the exploitation of key tourist markets and maintain stable growth of tourism from such markets as China, the Republic of Korea and Western Europe.